Baby Bat
"Baby Bat" is a term typically used by the older Goths to describe the younglings (teens or even pre-teens) trying to get a feel for the subculture and begin their spooky adventures. It's sadly a mostly derogatory term, but I'm sure ever Goth had their less-than-wise, experimental, Baby Bat days. (I remember mine all too well... And sometimes I wonder if I'm still in them.) Baby Bats, particularly, may be into the subculture for the shock value, to annoy their parents, to seem unique, to be "against the system", and most importantly, to explore further the Goth community for all it is. Since they're typically young and inexperienced, trying their first instinct at the subculture, their music tastes are usually metal like Marilyn Manson, H.I.M, and Korn. (I blame my mother for getting me into Marliyn Manson in June of 2012. She had all the CDs within a month. However, it's not a bad thing to like other bands that aren't necessarily Goth.) A need to feel edgy might be evident, and sometimes they can wander off to the stereotypes of "mall goth", in which they hang around stores like Hot Topic pretending to be depressed because they think that's what the Goth subculture is about. (They learn how to identify myths of the subculture as they mature.) This is the stage where people seep into the subculture, decide if it's for them, if they like it, and if they want to develop their tastes further. Because many Baby Bats are under 18 and most likely living with their parents or some other relative, they don't have the money or knowledge of what kind of clothes they'd be looking for, or what they should buy for what price. Fashions could include leather jackets, black band tees, leather and chain chokers, very pale faces, black lips and eye makeup, (There's a saying, "Friends don't let friends dress like The Crow") possibly dyed hair, and Tripp pants, the ones that are incredibly baggy and full of chains, or just regular cargo pants. (I still own a couple pairs for those days where I don't feel like wasting my nice jeans on going outside.) The Baby Bat portion of a Goth's life can be an embarrassing one, a strange one, a fun one, but mostly, an educational one. Think the Goth Subculture is for you? *You love the macabre and darker aesthetics of life *You acknowledge that the world isn't pure happiness and perfection *You have a more realistic outlook on life *You acknowledge that it's okay to feel sad or unhappy, that it's unnatural to be constantly happy *You love rock, metal, classical, punk, folk, techno, or opera music with dark, brooding themes *You love mythical creatures like vampires and fairies *You love fantasy, sci-fi, and horror *You love to read and play games *You love roleplaying *You love the idea of pale skin and bright eyes (Although not every Goth must have pale skin!) Experiment with the Goth subculture if you feel you might be interested. You never know what you might like until you try it out, and the subculture is full of open minded, eccentric people willing to be with you on your adventures in the morbid and dark. A fabulous advice column and book written by Jillian Venters, "Gothic Charm School", has alot of valuable information, and can be found here . Have fun!